Their Collection
by bl19
Summary: Because life's really just a collection of moments. (May or may not occur in chronological order. I haven't decided what the heck I'm doing with this story yet but this first chapter was bursting out of my brain. Hope you enjoy!)
1. 2006

**2006**

It had been an innocent enough gesture. She had arched over his body to reach for a file that was sitting on the other side of the desk. The side that he was blocking her from. His eyes travelled joyfully down the length of her back, from her shiny red hair down to her…

Jessica cleared her throat to indicate her presence.

Not realizing anything the matter, Donna grabbed the file she had been reaching for and straightened herself up, turning to look curiously at Jessica, "Ms. Pearson! I hope you're here to take him away." She jutted her thumb at Harvey.

Harvey could tell by the way Jessica looked at him that he had something coming. He looked back at his boss as if to say, _"What?"_ But he smartly kept the thought to himself.

"Donna, please call me Jessica. And, yes, I actually do need to speak with you, Harvey."

"Oh God, finally, I can work in peace!" Donna shot Harvey a big grin before sitting herself back down, still unaware of what had just occurred or what was about to occur.

He pursed his lips together in mock annoyance before making his way out of Donna's cubicle and towards Jessica's office, where his boss was already making her way towards. He purposely took his time, running through about eight scenarios in his head of how he thought the impending conversation would go. By the time he finally made it through Jessica's door, he had already settled on what he thought was the most likely scenario and decided to strike before she could.

"Do you know how long Donna and I have worked together?"

Jessica didn't seem all too surprised by his insistence on starting their conversation. "You met at the D.A.'s office so, at least, what is it? 5 years now?"

"6." He corrected her. "Do you know why that is?"

"Because she's obviously the only one who has the patience to deal with you on a day-to-day basis?"

Ignoring the smirk on his boss's face, he explained, "Because Donna is the best secretary anyone in this damned city could ever have the privilege of hiring. She's smart, she's quick on her feet, and she holds her own."

"Harvey, do you really think I would've agreed to your condition of hiring her when I first hired you if I didn't already know that? But do you want to know the number one reason why I was willing to have her be a part of this firm?"

"Why's that?"

"Because not only does she hold her own, but she holds her own up against _you_ and, God knows, someone's gotta do that around here."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and chuckled, "Well, I'm glad we're on the same page about Donna."

"I wasn't done."

Something in her voice told him it was best not to respond or cut in this time.

"Because Donna is the best secretary anyone in this damned city could ever have the privilege of hiring, I hope you don't do anything to screw that up." She paused before adding pointedly, "For your own good."

He held back for a minute, contemplating how to respond. He decided on taking her seriously, "I'm not going to sleep with her, if that's what you mean."

"Oh, Harvey, I'm not afraid that you'll sleep with her. I don't think Donna's that stupid." She smirked again. "What I'm afraid of is that won't stop you from trying."

Suddenly, the image of Donna leaning over him to reach for that damned file popped into his head and it took a moment for him to steady his breathing again.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Jessica."

She laughed, shaking her finger at him. "Good answer. _Safe_ answer. Doesn't reveal anything and you don't actually promise me anything. That's good." She paused to look at him, considering her next words carefully. "I don't need you to say anything, Harvey. I think you're a smart man and that you know better than me the consequences of certain actions. Don't make me regret hiring you."


	2. 2007

**2007**

"C'mon…you can tell me."

"Louis, I'm only going to say this one more time – get the hell out of my office."

"You two are totally hooking up, right?"

"Did I not make myself clear enough? _Get the hell out of my office_."

"You know, Harvey, I just made Junior Partner. The least you can do is be a bit more civil towards me."

"Fine." Harvey returned his attention to the papers in front of him. "Get out the hell out of my office, _please_."

"Ok…I get it." Louis nodded, turning briefly to glance out the door at the topic of their conversation. "Donna's a touchy subject."

This made Harvey look up. "Please don't ever use 'touchy' and 'Donna' in the same sentence again. It makes me very uncomfortable coming from you."

"Look, a lot of guys fool around with their secretaries. It's just a…_thing_. I get it." Louis nodded again and forged ahead, knowing full well he was entering dangerous territory by now. "Plus, look at her. The things I would do to her if she was my secretary…"

"Stop right there. Louis, did I ever tell you that I am an avid boxer? Because I am. And even if I wasn't, you should still be afraid of me. My relationship with Donna is off limits." He paused. "_Donna_ is off limits. If you want to satisfy some sad fantasy about secretaries, go and hire yourself one."

Louis opened his mouth as if ready to challenge him but then sighed and shrugged. "Actually, funny you should say that because I'm in the process of…"

"I don't care, Louis, I just want to work." He looked at Louis pleadingly.

"Fine, alright…" Louis raised his hands in mock defeat. "I'm just sayin'…if you don't make a move, someone eventually will."

"If you wanna make a fool of yourself, be my guest." The thought of Donna crushing Louis's heart brought a smile to his face.

"Oh, I didn't mean me."

His smile quickly dropped. "Wh-…" Harvey looked up to find that Louis had already made a clean exit. He cursed under his breath. What the hell did Louis mean? His thoughts were interrupted by movement just outside his door. It was Donna. She had just gotten up from her desk and was now making her way past his office. She gave him a curious glance as she passed by.

He gave her a slight smile, silently grateful that she had not heard that conversation.


	3. 2011

**2011**

As Rachel ascended the stairs, she spotted a familiar redhead having, what seemed like, a very intense conversation with an attractive man. By the time she had reached the revolving doors, Donna was right behind her. "Who was that?" Rachel asked as she waited for the other woman to get through the door. "He looked devastated."

"Just…some guy." At Rachel's pointed look, Donna rolled her eyes and added, "We dated."

"I thought you were still with Mark?"

Donna shook her head nonchalantly, "Oh no, we broke up a while ago."

Rachel was eager to pry more but kept politely silent as others joined them in the elevator. By the time they reached their floor, it was just them and she was bursting with questions. "When did you break up? I mean…why? He was crazy about you!"

"You know, the usual."

"You mean he was jealous of Harvey."

"He was jealous of my time spent at work. That's weak, Rachel, and Donna does _not_ do weak."

Rachel smiled sympathetically. Donna put up a good front but she knew these break-ups were not easy on her. "What about the guy from earlier? What's his story?"

"We dated a few years back. Didn't work out."

"Dare I ask why?"

"He was _really_ good friends with Louis."

"Ooh…" Rachel scrunched up her face in mock disgust before the two women broke out laughing. "So, what was he doing here?"

"Apparently, someone told him Mark and I had broken up and…"

"Wait, _someone_? Are you telling me Louis has been feeding status updates about you to his friend? Is he trying to play matchmaker? Or is he trying to live vicariously through his taller, much better looking friend?"

"Rachel, I had a lovely breakfast this morning. Please don't make me lose it."

"I take it you said no?"

"He wouldn't have run away in tears if I had said yes."

"Why? Besides the fact that he's Louis's friend. I mean…he looked good from where I was standing."

"Because we obviously broke up for a reason back then. No need to revisit something that isn't worth fixing."

Though Donna had not specified, Rachel knew what she meant. They had broken up for the same reason she had broken up with Mark.

"Whatever it is you're thinking inside that pretty head of yours, you need to stop." Donna said warningly.

"One of these days, Donna, you're gonna find a guy who isn't jealous of…_your work_. I know you will."

"Or maybe, one of these days, I'll find a guy who's worth giving up my work for." They shared a look before Donna sat down at her desk.

Rachel pursed her lips together, "Sure, yeah! Of course. Anyway, I should get going…have a great morning." As she walked away, she silently scolded herself. Damn that sympathetic smile.

Donna watched Rachel walk away. _Find a guy who's worth giving up my work for? _The sympathetic smile Rachel had plastered all over her face told Donna her friend and colleague believed it as much as she did herself.

Giving up her work, leaving the firm, meant giving up on Harvey and that wasn't happening unless hell froze over. She smiled, running her hand across the flat of her desk. They'd have to bring in a SWAT team to tear her away from this desk.

Away from _him_.


	4. 2008

**2008**

"Who was that?"

Donna startled, her hand gripping her phone just a little too hard as she hung it up. By the time she turned around, she had already composed herself. She asked sheepishly, "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?" Fully aware of the hypocrisy of her words, she offered Harvey a coy smile.

"Oh really? You should tell that to my secretary." Harvey was still reeling from discovering Donna's (apparently) longstanding habit of listening over his intercom. He was not surprised that she did this but more surprised at himself for not being mad about it. "So? Don't try to change the subject here. Who was that?"

"Nobody that would interest you."

"Anybody who has the balls to ask you out and then actually convinces you to accept interests me. So?" He plopped himself down on the edge of her desk and looked down at her with extreme fascination.

She knew she wasn't getting out of this one but continued to offhandedly replace the old post-its on her screen with new ones. "So, what? Can't a girl go out for dinner without there being an interrogation?"

"I heard the name, 'La Bouche'. Fancy. Expensive." He paused for dramatic effect and then shrugged. "Overrated."

"Are you jealous?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Just wondering why you would agree to La Bouche when you _hate_ French food. You must…"

"Really like him?" She smiled, satisfied when he flinched ever so slightly.

"…have something that Louis has on you. Or else, why would you ever agree to date one of his friends? I mean, c'mon! The guy's an insurance broker. Insurance broker! I expected more from you, Donna."

It was just like Harvey to have already done a background check on the guy. Sometimes she loved it when he kept her on her toes but, during times like these, she hated that he was one step ahead. She hated that he had so obviously baited her and that she had fallen for it. "Why are we having this conversation if you already know everything about him? And how did you even find out that he was Louis's friend?"

"He told me."

"No, he didn't. You know how I know that? Because when I agreed to this, I made him swear on Bruno's life that he wouldn't breathe a word of it to anyone. _Especially _you."

Harvey raised his hands and feigned innocence, then immediately frowned, "Who's Bruno?"

"His cat. Don't change the subject."

"Louis has a cat? Why does that not surprise me…"

"Harvey."

"I'm a lawyer, Donna, it's my job to dig up dirt."

Which was true. He had started digging since Louis's ominous warning to him last year in his office. It wasn't easy at first. He had assumed it would be someone in the office. In fact, the way he found out was really by chance. He was walking towards the associates' area and had overheard Louis talking on his phone in the pantry. He had been ready to ignore, as he usually did with Louis, but when he heard Donna's name, his ears had perked up. Louis was telling the other person on the line that he was _sure_ Donna was single and that he was _sure_ she would be interested. Harvey had scoffed at the idea and, yet, that night, there he was at the newsstand, asking his private investigator to dig up whatever dirt she could find.

Donna's voice brought him back to reality. "I'm not a client. I'm also not an opponent. You don't get to dig up dirt on me. And, anyway, if you just wanted to check out the competition, all you had to do was ask."

He smiled, hopping off the edge of her desk. "Please, Donna, if I got in the game, there would be no game. Mr. Insurance Broker wouldn't even be a speck on the radar. He won't last." He glanced at his watch, "I would've given him 2 weeks but because I just said that, you'll probably keep him around a little longer to spite me. So…2 months? Give or take a month?"

"Harvey?"

"Yes, Donna?"

"Hell. You should go there some time."

He let out a genuine laugh. God, that woman drove him crazy.


	5. 2000

**2000**

"Hey! Eyes up here, Specter! Could you, at least, _pretend_ to be working?"

Harvey chuckled, "Donna, next time you want me to focus, try wearing something a little less…_distracting_." He allowed is eyes to drop purposefully down the 'v' of her neckline and let his gaze stay there for a long pause before he reconnected with her gaze.

"I saved up for a long time to get this top. I'll be damned if I don't get to wear it just cuz you have the attention span of a child. And, anyway, I happen to know there are a lot of great looking female attorneys out there who are not above wearing something tantalizing to distract young, impressionable Assistant D.A.'s." She smirked. "So, really, I'm doing you a favour by wearing tops like this one. See it as…training!"

"I could get used to this type of training." He shot back, wiggling his eyebrow for extra effect.

"Don't worry about showing me your gratitude though. When you're a hotshot lawyer, I expect lots of purses and shoes and dresses. Until then, I'll go easy on you."

Again, another chuckle escaped his lips. Donna had only begun working for him – _with_ him, she always corrected him – a couple of months ago but, already, they had developed a rapport that tricked even the most seasoned of eyes. Many here at the D.A.'s office wondered quietly about their relationship. He had heard the rumours but had no desire to quash any of them. There were things a lot worse than being connected to the woman sitting across from him.

He realized she was now looking at him with a curious smile. She had caught him staring…again. _I really need to practice doing that without being caught_, he made a mental note. "I'll have you know, I'm already a hotshot lawyer." He quickly offered, breaking his gaze from hers.

"Oh really? Can you buy me a Marni bag?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. What the hell was a Marni bag?

Sensing his confusion, she shook her head, "I'll take that as a no."

"Fine. I may not be a _hotshot_ lawyer but I _am_ the A.D.A. which means I make enough to treat my secretary to a fancy meal." He paused, "How about it, Donna? Dinner with your non-hotshot A.D.A. boss?"

She considered it for a moment before tilting her head, "How fancy?"

He smiled, "How about French?" She made a face that told him he had chosen wrong. The smile dropped from his face. "What's wrong with French?"

"Besides the fact that it's pretentious and stuffy and overrated?"

"I have never met a woman who didn't enjoy a _free_ dinner at a fancy French restaurant."

"Well, that's because you've never met a woman like _me_." She rolled her eyes and, with that, returned her attention to the work at hand.

_Ain't that the truth_.


	6. 2005

**2005**

Harvey had spent the last half hour wavering on where he wanted to leave the Marni bag. On her desk? Too unoriginal. On her chair? Too hidden. Hand it to her himself? She'd probably accuse him of trying to bribe her for her forgiveness.

They had just had their first fight. They had their disagreements before. They had their tiffs but this time was different. There was no way to describe it except as a full-blown fight. It was his first week on the job and, already, Cameron Dennis was back in the picture. There was a case that the D.A. was prosecuting and the opportunity to defend the accused had been brought to Harvey. He relished the idea of going toe-to-toe with his former mentor and employer but Donna had advised against it. No, she had basically told him he wasn't allowed to take it. _That_ was what had set him off.

Nobody tells Harvey Specter what to do. Not even Donna.

But he hadn't gotten the bag as a bribe. Nor was this a peace offering. This gift was a reminder to her that he was grateful that she had given up her stable job at the D.A.'s office to follow here, into what could be the worst idea ever. He had no idea what he was getting into and he was eternally grateful that, at the very least, he had Donna. Her rock.

"What are you doing?"

Her voice startled him. How long had he been dawdling around? The last time he checked his watch, it had only been 7:30!

"Are you looking for a pen? Cuz I just refilled the penholder in our office. If you lost them already, Harvey, I swear…" Her voice trailed off as she took notice of the black handbag in his hand. Her eyes widened.

He smiled, satisfied to see confirmation that he had bought the right item but, still, he kept a tight hold on the black leather handles of the bag.

"So…" He slowly lifted the bag and took joy in watching her eyes follow the gift, "I thought it was about time you started looking like the secretary of a hotshot lawyer."

The words had barely left his lips before she grabbed it and began turning it left and right to examine. "This. Is. Oh. My. God. Harvey! How did you…?"

"Tiny fraction of my signing bonus." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Least I could do." He stuffed his hands into his pocket and suddenly felt a rush of something rise up in his chest. Was this pride? In himself? "Do you like it?"

"Like it, Harvey? I don't think anyone can just _like_ this bag. I mean, look at it! It's a freakin' work of art!"

He chuckled, turning to head into his office. As much as he was enjoying watching Donna admire her new treasure, he could see their coworkers start to file in for the start of the day and he really didn't want to deal with the curious looks he was sure they would get if they were standing around, admiring a handbag. It was only their first month at the firm and he knew the partners, to say the least, would frown upon rumours of a clandestine relationship with his assistant. There would be plenty of time for those kinds of rumours. He smiled to himself.

"Harvey?"

He turned back around to find Donna had followed him into his office. "Yes?"

"I hope you know this doesn't mean I've forgiven you."

A grin crept up on him but he quickly suppressed it, not wanting to let on that he was no longer angry. "I hope you know this doesn't mean _I've_ forgiven _you_."

With Marni bag in hand, Donna's stance softened slightly. "Fine, take the case if you want but, you just started here at the firm. You want your first case here to be something worth remembering."

"Are you saying I shouldn't take it cuz you think I'll lose?"

"I'm saying you shouldn't take it cuz the D.A. isn't going to _let_ you win. Cameron Dennis is not happy you left. He's not going to just hand you this case on a silver platter. He'll make your life a living hell."

"So you're saying you think I'll lose." He could feel the anger bubble up again.

Sensing this was one debate she would not win, she sighed in defeat, "Take it, don't take it, I don't care, Harvey. Just don't come crying to me when you fall off the swing. I've already warned you how dangerous it is to swing so high." She gave him one last pointed look before heading back out the door.

Just as she was about to get out of earshot, he said grudgingly, "I'm not taking it." He slowly looked up, expecting a smug, 'I win' smirk on her face. Instead, the smile she had told him something entirely different… "You knew?"

She shrugged. "Jessica had me set up a meeting for you for this morning with a new client. New case. I figured that meant you had already told her you weren't taking the other one."

"And you pretended not to know…because?"

"To give you a chance to tell me yourself. This way, you can feel like you're doing me a favour by taking my advice and you can feel better about yourself."

Again, he felt that rush of _something_ rise up inside of him. What the hell was that?

"Oh, _by the way_, you have a meeting with a Mr. Wilson Clark at 9:30." She grinned.

Finally, whatever had been crawling to get out, emerged in the form of a laugh. He laughed a genuine out-loud laugh. "Donna, don't make me regret getting you that bag."

"Harvey, don't pretend like you don't like making me smile." She smiled suggestively.

He chuckled again. _Laughing twice in a row on a Monday morning? You're losing your touch, Specter._

"Donna?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's my coffee?"


	7. 2003

**2003**

The door swung open. "Donna! How good it is to see you!"

Despite the grey hair and wrinkles that spoke to the man's many years of trials and tribulations, the man who greeted Donna was handsome. Ruggedly so. It obviously ran in the family. "Hi, Gordon." She accepted the old man's hug before she was eagerly pulled into the apartment.

"I take it this means my son will not be coming."

There was no hint of sadness or disappointment in his voice but Donna still felt guilty enough to offer, "The case he's working on…the jury's deadlocked. He may still make it a little later but it'll depend on how the case goes."

Gordon smiled, grateful for her obvious attempt at soothing whatever feelings she thought were hurt. "That's alright, sweetheart, means I get you all to myself tonight." He gave her a playful wink before pointing at the brown paper bag she had brought in with her. "Those better be burgers and fries in there."

"Sorry, Gordon, just grilled chicken wraps and some fruit salad." She began laying out the spread when she noted disappointment had finally appeared on the old man's face. She smiled sympathetically, "Doctor said…"

Patting his chest, he nodded, "Bad ticker. I have to cut out the grease and crap, I know, I know…" He scrunched up his face and poked the chicken wrap Donna placed in front of him. "Don't take this the wrong way. I'm grateful that you're lookin' out for me but I _really_ miss my burger and fries."

"Try it first. I promise you, it's not as bad as you think. Go on…take a bite." She watched hopefully as Gordon took a bite of his wrap. "Well?"

He took his time chewing and swallowing before finally offering a polite, "It's no burger and fries but…" He shrugged, "Sometimes it's the company that makes the food good."

They ate in silence until he noticed her eyes had wandered over to his bookshelf. "Been in this place over a month and only this morning did I get around to unpacking the old photos."

"May I?" She pointed to one in particular and got up from her chair when he nodded his permission. She picked up the framed photograph and ran her finger down the edge of the frame.

"That's him and his Ma. Think he was…what? 7 or 8 maybe?"

This was the first childhood photo she had seen of Harvey's and it made her smile. The child in the photo was happy. So happy. His mother was beautiful but she felt a pang of pain hit her heart as she knew that a couple of years after this photo was taken, his mother would begin her long string of affairs. She quickly replaced the photo on the shelf and picked up the one beside it.

"18. High school graduation. Kid would've graduated a year earlier if he didn't always run his mouth and get in trouble." Gordon chuckled in a way only a father could about a child's rebellious years.

The smile was no longer visible in this photo. It was obvious the kid from the first photo had grown into an angry teenager with plenty of secrets burdening his conscience.

As if reading her mind, he sighed, "I should've been around more. He nearly got held back a year…kept missing class. I knew he needed me but I…" He crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed again. "Kept telling myself I needed to go on tour and make more money."

"He doesn't blame you for anything." She returned to the small dining table.

"Doesn't make me feel less guilty." He stared blankly at the half-eaten fruit salad in front of him. "For a long time, he didn't smile. I was worried as hell that he would never smile again. Boy that young still had a whole life ahead of him. Would've been pretty crappy if he never found a reason to smile. Then, all of a sudden, he started smiling again a couple of years ago." At this, he looked up at her pointedly.

She nodded. "He's very happy at the D.A.'s office."

"You know very well I wasn't talking about his job."

"Gordon…" She looked away shyly.

"I know, I know…you and my son have a strictly professional relationship but you know what I think about that? I think it's, excuse my language, bullshit. I've been around the world and I've seen all kinds of relationships – professional, completely, utterly inappropriate, and everything in-between. What you have with my son, sweetheart, is genuine. You think those bimbos he goes out with can make him smile the way you do?"

"Well, they're not _all_ bimbos…" She looked at him before laughing.

He smiled gently, "Just promise me one thing, will ya?"

"Anything for you, Gordon."

"Doctor says my heart's not so good. Years of smoking and boozing on the road are finally catching up with me…" He raised his hand when she opened her mouth to protest, "No, listen to me. I'm an old man who's lived a full life. I have no regrets. My only wish when I leave is for my sons to be happy. I don't worry too much about the young one. He's always been happy-go-lucky, but, his older brother?" He shook his head. "Promise me you'll watch over him, keep him outta trouble, and, Donna?"

"Hmm?"

"Make sure he never forgets how to smile again."


	8. 2009

Thank you, everyone, for the reviews and great words! Your encouragement means a lot to me! :) Glad you're all enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it!

* * *

**2009**

"_So nice of you to join us, Theodore."_

"_Sorry, Colleen was…" The younger man trailed off, figuring Harvey would not be interested._

"_Colleen was what?" Harvey looked down the path and back at his new companion, "Where is she, anyway?"_

"_She's pretty sick. That's why I was late. Wanted to make sure she was alright before I headed up here."_

_When the younger man offered no more, Harvey frowned, "Is she ok? Nothing serious, I hope?"_

"_Why, Harvey Specter, I didn't realize you cared so much?" The younger man grinned._

"_You're my little brother, Teddy, and I care about you. By polite extension, I suppose I should care about your girlfriend as well."_

_Teddy was silent for a moment, reaching out to pour the whiskey Harvey had brought into the 3 empty shot glasses lined up neatly on the top of the headstone. "You know the last thing Dad said to me?" Harvey said nothing so he continued, "Told me Colleen was one I shouldn't let get away."_

"_She's alright." Harvey shrugged though, truthfully, he knew his father was right. Colleen was perfect for his brother. She obviously made him very happy._

_After another long pause, Teddy finally said quietly, "She's pregnant. We're going to get married."_

His brother's words rang in his ears as he stood waiting in front of her door. It had only been this morning that he had been at the grave with Teddy. It was the two-year anniversary of their father's death and he wasn't sure what was harder to deal with – his brother's impending child/marriage or the fact that his father was really gone. The first year his father was gone had been easy to deal with. He was still too much in mourning to notice anything else. This year, however, it hit him that life had moved on. His brother was moving on with his life and, yet, he felt like he was still in limbo.

"Harvey?" Donna was surprised to find him at her door. "Come in."

He obliged, following her into the living room. He had only been here once before, for a dinner party that didn't turn out so well. She had never invited him over again, stating the first time had been too traumatic, but he knew the truth. She didn't invite him over for the same reason he never invited her over to his place. It was much harder to not cross lines when they were alone in the comforts of their own homes.

"How was it…today?" She asked carefully. She had cleared his schedule for him and had not expected to see him again until tomorrow.

"Fine. Teddy came alone."

"Oh? What happened to Colleen? They're still together, aren't they?"

"Yes, definitely still together." Suddenly realizing how tired he was, he sat down on her comfortably large sofa and sighed. "Donna?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you need such a large couch? It takes up 90% of the space in your living room."

"Your big ego wouldn't have fit on a smaller couch."

He smiled tiredly, leaning his head against the back of his seat. "Colleen's pregnant. Teddy proposed last month and they're going to get married as soon as the baby's born."

"That's great!" She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's great, right?" She paused. "I thought you liked Colleen?"

He nodded. "She's great with Teddy."

"But?"

"But…nothing. I just didn't realize they were so serious."

"They've been dating for 4 years. You don't do that unless you're serious. But then…you don't do serious so, I don't blame you for not knowing."

The gravity of her tone made him look at her but the smile on her face told him she was joking. "I asked Teddy why he had waited so long to tell me. He said he was afraid I'd be upset with him."

"And judging by the way you look tonight, it seems like he wasn't far off."

"I'm not upset with _him_."

"You're upset with yourself?" She finished his thought for him.

"I've always measured success with how many cases I've won, how much money I make…but seeing Teddy today…" He smiled wistfully. "You should've seen him. He was ecstatic." He leaned forward, his elbows digging dents in his thighs. "I don't think I've ever been as happy as he was this morning. Maybe I'm not capable of such happiness."

She placed a careful hand on his back but made no further effort, knowing better than to do so. Rarely was she ever speechless but, now, she struggled for the right words.

He wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was the warmth of her hand on his back, or maybe it was his exhaustion, but he could feel his inhibitions melt away. In that moment, all he wanted was to feel her in his arms. He knew by the way her eyes widened slightly and then looked away shyly that she could see his intentions.

Before he could make a move, however, his phone rang. He muttered a curse under his breath as he took a moment to catch his breath. He could feel Donna's hand leave his back and he knew whatever might have been a few seconds earlier, was no longer possible.

A few moments after his phone call ended, he bid her a goodnight and left. They both understood that this was the first time they had ever gotten to crossing the line and, in a way, they both sadly knew this may very well be the last time.


	9. 2012

**2012**

"So, remind me why I agreed to do this?" He looked around at the chaos around him and had to hold back a loud curse word when a small child crashed into him, cake-smeared hands and all.

Donna laughed, handing him some paper towel. "Because you're a good brother and because, no matter what you say or how you act, you care deeply about Teddy and his family."

"If I cared about him, I would've stopped him before he had his third child in three years. Look at him!" He looked across the small backyard to where his brother was standing, baby in one arm and a toddler in the other. "He looks like he hasn't showered, shaved, or slept in a decade."

"That's called love."

"Really? Cuz it just seems like one step away from being a homeless man."

"Harvey! That's your brother!"

"I know, I know…it's just…" He looked down as two children snaked in and out of the space between him and Donna, their giggles filling the air, "I don't know how he deals with this everyday."

"I'm sure he looks at your life and says the same thing."

"My life is perfect." At her unconvinced look, he asked, "What? My life is perfect and you know it, Donna."

"Perfect's pushing it, don't you think?"

"Those 3 Marni bags sitting in your closet beg to differ."

"Speaking of which, I heard Jessica rewarded you well when Daniel left. I expect some sort of compensation for my role."

"You mean the role you played where you got fired and nearly got me disbarred?"

Donna raised her hands in mock defense, "Really, Harvey? Are you gonna bring this up everytime we have an argument now? Cuz if you are, you should just fire me right now. Again."

He chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "Even if I wanted to, Jessica would kill me." Again, he chuckled when she gave him a glare. "I'm not saying I _want_ to. God knows it took enough work to get you back, I'm not going down that road again."

"Smart. You'd be lost without me." You _were_ lost without me. She looked at him and he looked at her. Her words were unspoken but they both knew it was true.

"Donna!" The excited shriek that could only belong to a 3-year old girl, stomach full of sugary cake, broke their moment.

Harvey let his gaze last a beat longer than necessary before turning his attention to the child who now, slightly to his dismay, held everyone's attention, including Donna's. His niece was a perfect mixture of his brother and Colleen. Her blonde curls were clearly from Colleen. Her eyes and nose were replicas of his brother's. Her dimples were from neither parent and were simply a gift from the higher powers. A gift, he was sure, his brother would despise when she grew old enough to bring boys home.

"Donna! You wanna see a drawing I did? You wanna?" It was a question but the little girl was already pulling Donna along.

Harvey smiled and gave his secretary a little wave. It was only a second later that he realized his brother was beside him. "Wow, you sure are stealthy for someone who hasn't exercised in a while…" He playfully patted his brother's belly.

"Thanks, you're a really encouraging brother."

"And hey, how is it that my own niece seems to like Donna more than me? Did you tell her I'm the one who bought her that humongous princess playhouse sitting in her room?"

Teddy narrowed his eyes at his brother and shook his head, "I never thought I'd hear Harvey Spectre say the words, 'princess playhouse'. Ever. And c'mon, everyone likes Donna more than you."

"Did you invite me here to celebrate one of your many children's birthdays or did you invite me here to insult me?"

"Both." Teddy laughed before taking a swig of his beer. "By the way, when you accepted my invitation and said you were going to bring a date, I didn't realize you meant Donna. Not that I'm complaining. I mean, we had already invited her but…look, Colleen and I both agree that it's about damned time you made a move."

"What?" Harvey scrunched his face up as if his brother had just said something completely outrageous. "First of all, Donna and I didn't come here together."

"Really? Cuz you guys came in the same car. That's called 'coming together'. You really should brush up on your English."

"It's like with every child you have, you get that much mouthier with me."

"Hey, maybe it's just my wishful thinking but I always thought you would end up with Donna, one way or another. I mean, for a woman to stand you for this many years?" Teddy shook his head, "You should just marry her."

"Is that why you married Colleen? Cuz she's the only woman who could stand you for this long?"

"I married her because she's the only woman I _want_ to stand me for this long. She's the only woman I want to have stand _with _me for this long. Did you know that the first time I brought Colleen to see Dad, he pulled me aside and told me not to let her go? It took me another three years but I eventually realized Dad really knew best. And you know what else Dad used to say to me? He used to say that, one day, Harvey's gonna get his head out of his ass and he's gonna wake up and realize what he's been searching for has been with him all along."

Harvey paused, then scoffed. "Dad didn't say that."

"You don't need to believe me. You don't even need to believe Dad. But if you really wanted to bring a date today, you would've. And yet the girl you arrived with is the same one you've been bringing around here for the past 12 years." Teddy gave his brother a big slap on the back. "And with that, you'll have to excuse me. I think I have some kids to round up and feed. Enjoy life, Harvey, time's a-tickin'."


	10. 2013

_Last chapter! Hope you all enjoyed! Thanks for all the encouraging reviews! :)_

* * *

**2013**

Jessica found him at his usual spot on the U-shaped balcony that provided a sweeping view of the ballroom below. Every year, at their annual gala, this was where she would find Harvey, standing, watching. For someone who had to do a lot of talking on the job, he liked to do very little of it when he wasn't working.

"You look beautiful, Jessica." He smiled, taking a swig of his scotch.

"You clean up pretty well yourself, Harvey." She stood beside him and looked down at the crowd below. "It's been a long year. You should go down there, try to have some fun."

"You mean I should try to mingle and get on the partners' good side so if Daniel ever came back to try exact revenge, we wouldn't have to worry about not having enough support."

"No," She said firmly, "I mean…it's been a long year and you should go down there to try to have some fun. No hidden agenda."

Harvey chuckled, taking another swig of his drink. He looked back down at the ballroom and, for a moment, the smile on his face grew and he gave a quick wave to someone.

Jessica followed his gaze to find Donna looking curiously up at them. She nodded her own acknowledgement. "I'm glad she's settled back in quite nicely."

"Wouldn't expect anything less from Donna."

"You were a real _mess_ without her around."

"Hey, I'm not the one who fired her." He turned to look at his boss.

"And I was wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't push it, Harvey."

"No, I heard what you said. I just didn't realize Jessica Pearson made mistakes."

"Like I said, don't push it."

He smiled. "Well, don't be too hard on yourself. We all fell for Hardman's ploy. What matters is we found out the memo was a fake."

"I'm not just talking about what happened with the memo." She sighed. "I always thought Donna would be bad for you. That she would be a distraction. I just didn't realize she would be a bigger distraction when she wasn't around."

"She means a lot to me."

"And clearly you mean a lot to her." She paused. "Harvey, I know our relationship has always tipped more towards the professional side of things but I want you to know that…whatever I said when you first started working at the firm, it no longer applies."

"Are you giving me permission to date Donna?"

Jessica grinned but said nothing.

"What?" Harvey asked suspiciously, suddenly unsure of what was happening.

"Nothing, I just find it revealing that you said 'date' and not something less committal." When he said nothing, she continued, "Whatever you think this is…permission, approval…you and I both know that you never needed any of that from me to do what you wanted. But for what it's worth," She nodded down at the crowd again. "I approve."

* * *

"Hey."

Donna smiled at the familiar voice in her ear. "Hi. You get bored up on your perch or did you run out of scotch?"

"Actually, I came down to find you."

Something in Harvey's voice made her turn to him. "What's going on? I saw Jessica go up there to speak to you. Is everything ok?"

His lips curled up into a smile. It always warmed him when she would get protective. "Everything's great." He gestured at their surroundings, "Except for this party. I never thought anything would make me miss the backyard barbecue at my brother's. I'd rather deal with screaming 3-year olds than small talk with managing partners."

"Well, you could always ditch the party and go home with one of the waitresses. I saw a few fighting to bring you your drink earlier."

"You know what, Donna? That's a great idea. Except, switch out the waitress with you."

"Come again?"

"C'mon, you and me. Let's just ditch this place and go."

"Go where?"

"Home?" She gave him a, 'stop joking' look and he shrugged innocently, "What? It was your idea."

"Ok, you've obviously had one too many of these…" She took the tumbler of scotch out of his hand and placed it on the tray of a nearby waiter. "Do you want me to get you a ride home?"

"Sure, if you come with me." He grabbed her hand again.

This time, she let him pull her out of the ballroom and into the sparsely populated corridor. "Ok, that's enough. What is going on with you?"

"Nothing! Can't a man just want to ditch a party and go home with his secretary? And yes, that is exactly as inappropriate as I wanted it to sound."

Donna crossed her arms and looked at him with mild disdain. She was obviously not amused.

He sighed, allowing his shoulders to sag. "Donna, it's been a really long year and in," He checked his watch, "about an hour, this year's finally going to be over and a new one will begin. I just want to go somewhere with the right person and start the year off right. Please?"

Without another word, she nodded.

She had questions –

_Did this have anything to do with his talk with Jessica up on the balcony earlier?_

_Maybe this had to do with something that happened at his niece's birthday party a few months back? Something had obviously happened because his demeanor had completely changed when they left the party. He never explained and she never asked but judging by the way Teddy and Colleen had eyed them as they were leaving, she figured it had something to do with her…_

Yes, she had questions but they could wait another night.

"_Promise me you'll watch over him, keep him outta trouble." _His father's words, from those many years ago, rang in her ears tonight, just like how they always rang in her ears now and then. As he led her out the door, she watched as he silently flagged down what must have been the only taxi left on New Year's Eve in New York City. He opened the car door for her and followed her inside before giving quick instructions to the taxi driver. It was only then that she looked down and noticed that, somehow, through it all, her hand had never left his.

**The End.**


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